Yukon Potatoes Really Are Gold

November 29, 2022

Published: November 28, 2022

Updated: May 17, 2023

It’s a common assumption that potatoes aren’t good for you. That’s true if every time you eat them they are fried or covered in butter, cheese, and sour cream (although this is delicious). But potatoes themselves aren’t inherently bad for you. They can be part of a healthy diet! In this article, we’ll explain why Yukon Gold potatoes are actually a very healthy food.

What are Yukon Gold Potatoes?

There are a lot of different types of potatoes out there. Yukon Gold potatoes were successfully cultivated in Canada for the first time in the 20th century and have become increasingly popular since.1 This type of potato has yellowish skin and a light yellow inside. Yukon Golds are slightly sweet and have a slightly waxy texture. They’re an incredibly versatile type of potato. Yukon Gold potatoes are good boiled, fried, mashed, and more!

Nutrition Profile

Potatoes are relatively low in calories, but are filling because they are high in starch. So, eating them can help with weight loss, as long as the potatoes aren’t covered with high-calorie toppings. The starch in potatoes can improve digestive health. Potatoes are high in carbohydrates, but they are not a good source of fiber. They can be a good addition to low-fat and low-cholesterol diets because they naturally don’t contain either of these.2

One surprising benefit of Yukon Gold potatoes is that they are high in vitamin C!2 Vitamin C is an important antioxidant and is good for maintaining immune system health. Your body needs vitamin C to absorb iron, another essential nutrient.3 Yukon Gold potatoes are also high in potassium, which is good for helping to lower blood pressure.4

Cooking and Eating Yukon Golds

Unlike other types of potatoes, Yukon Golds hold up well through both dry-heat and wet-heat cooking methods, so they can be used in many different types of dishes. How you cook Yukon Gold potatoes will change how healthy they are for you. The healthiest ways to cook potatoes are broiling, baking, and boiling because these require little or no oil or butter. Don’t remove the skin from the potato – doing so removes some of the nutrients. And when you’re ready to eat the potatoes, avoid adding butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon, and other toppings that are high in saturated fat. Instead, choose low-fat options (green onions, salsa or pico de gallo, steamed or roasted vegetables), or stick with herbs and spices. 

Yukon Gold potatoes are pretty great! For more healthy food highlights, check out the tags in this post.

References

  1. Yukon Gold Potatoes. Specialtyproduce.com. Accessed May 17, 2023. https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Yukon_Gold_Potatoes_3143.php
  2. FoodData central. Usda.gov. Accessed May 17, 2023. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
  3. Vitamin C. The Nutrition Source. Published September 18, 2012. Accessed May 17, 2023. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-c/
  4. CDC. Sodium, potassium and health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published August 23, 2022. Accessed May 17, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/salt/potassium.htm
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